Toy.



W. A. BANKS.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7| 1911.

1,250,266. Patented Dec.18,1917.

FIELZ- FIE .'1-

Fuse.

INUENTOR wn'uessks the swiveling support of the same.

incense.

TOY.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatentcd Dec. i8, 191?.

Application filed August 7, 1917. Serial No. leases.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. BANKS, a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,'have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Toys, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy operatingon the principle of a gyroscopic top.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a toy of the characterspecified which contains novel features of attractions for the child,and which requires a certain amount of skill in order to properlyoperate the same.

The toy comprises the combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view of thetoy, parts being shown in broken section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame, partly in horizontal section, line 2--2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is anelevation, partly in broken section, showing a modification; and Fig. eis a sectional elevation of The toy comprises a frame of suchconstruction that it can be easily balanced; said frame preferably beingin the form of a ring 1 havin a. diametrical bar or cross member 2. heseparts may be either formed in an integral structure, or may be built up,as desired. This, however, is only one-form of frame that may be used.This frame is adapted to be supported at a fixed point at its center,to-wit, at the point 3. Mounted in this frame are a pairof heavyfiy-wheels 4, l, the axes of which extend radially from the centralpoint 3 of the frame to its periphery. These fly-wheels can be mountedin the usual way of mountipg such wheels in gyro'scopic tops, such as byhaving the inner ends 5 of the fly-wheel shafts pointed or conical andset in conical sockets in the cross member 2, and having the outer ends6 of their shafts conical and seated in conical sockets on the innerends of crews 7 extending through threaded openings in the frame 1, andwhich permit the flywheel bearings to be adjusted.

- These fly-wheels are provided with suitable means for impartingrotation thereto, such means being shown in the drawings as cords 8,which may be wrapped around the shafts or axes of the fiy-wheels, butpreferably each fiy-wheel is provided on one side with a hub 9 aroundwhich such cords are wrapped.

In order to secure the eliect hereinafter described, it is necessarythat one of these Wheels rotate in, one direction and the other in theopposite direction, and consequently these cords will be wrapped aroundthe hubs or the two wheels in opposite directions.

The frame with the fly-wheels mounted therein is, as above stated,supportedby the central point 3, and in a manner to permit the entireframe to rotate in a horizontal plane about said point of support.Consequently this point of support may be a conical socket in the lowerface or" the cross bar 2,-adapted to receive the conical upper end of asupport 11, as shown in Fig. 1, or the support may be of the :torm shownin Figs. 3 and in which the cross bar is adapted to rest in notches 12in the upper end of'a member 13, which also has notches i l at rightangles to the notches 12 to provide clearance for the ends of the axesof the fiy-wheels 4c, and which member 13 is rotatably mounted in asupport 11, and in a manner to reduce friction to a minimum, such as byineansoi' the ball bearing 15 illustrated in Fig.

In using the toy, the frame will be held in the hand, and the two cordswrapped about the hubs of the two fly-wheels,'the cord on one flywheelbeing wrapped in the opposite direction from that on the otherfiy-wheel.

Then when still holding the frame 1 in the hand, the cords are pulledvery suddenly,

- thus setting the twowheels into rapid ro- The tation, but in oppositedirections. frame is then placed upon the support and the rapid rotationof the, fly-wheels in opposite directions, causes the frame to rotate ina horizontal plane around its center.

In order to increase the visible efiect of. this rotation and alsoprotect the wheels in case the toy falls, it is preferred to rigidlyattach to the frame 1, such as by soldering 100 of fly-wheels rotatablymounted in said frame on axes radial to its center, means for impartingrapid rotary motion to said fiywheels, and a member arranged to supportsaid frame at its center and allow the same to rotate around said centerin a horizontal plane.

2. A gyrosoopic top comprising a horizontally disposed frame arranged tobe supported at its center, a pair of flywheels rotatably mounted insaid frame on oppositely arranged axes extending radially from thecenter of said frame, and means to support said frame at its center andallow the same to rotate therearound in ahorizontal plane.

3. A gyroscopic top comprising a ringlike frame having a diametricmember or bar, a pair of fly-wheels each having an axis extendipgradially from the center of aaaaaae ring frame, and a member forming arotatable support upon which the central portion of the diametric barrests.

4. A gyroscopic top comprising a frame adapted to oe supported on itscenter, a pair of fiy-wheels rotatably mounted in said frame on axesradial to its center, means arranged to support said frame at its centerand allow the same to rotate in a horizontal plane, and a circular hoopconnected to said frame and lying ina plane at right angles to the planeof said frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

' WILLIAM A. BAISKS. Witness:

GLENN H. LERnsoHE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatenta, Washington, D. 0.

